وَقَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن قَوْمِهِۦ لَئِنِ ٱتَّبَعْتُمْ شُعَيْبًا إِنَّكُمْ إِذًا لَّخَـٰسِرُونَ 90
Translations
Said the eminent ones who disbelieved among his people, "If you should follow Shuʿayb, indeed, you would then be losers."
Transliteration
Wa qāla al-mala'u alladhīna kafarū min qawmihi la'in ittaba'tum shu'ayban innakum idhān lakhāsirūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
The chiefs and leaders of Shu'ayb's people who rejected faith warned their community that following Shu'ayb would lead them to ruin and loss. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this represents the arrogant elite's attempt to dissuade the common people from accepting the prophet's message through fear of economic and social loss, particularly regarding their fraudulent trade practices which Shu'ayb had condemned. This reflects a pattern throughout history where those with worldly power and vested interests in corruption resist prophetic reform.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the narrative of Prophet Shu'ayb (peace be upon him) and his people of Madyan, who were known for their dishonesty in commerce and measurement. The context shows the people's leadership actively opposing Shu'ayb's call to monotheism and ethical conduct, attempting to maintain their corrupt economic system. This is part of the broader Meccan surah theme demonstrating the various responses to divine guidance across different nations.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever among you sees a wrong, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart—and that is the weakest of faith.' (Sahih Muslim 49). This relates to the theme of righteous resistance to societal wrongdoing that Shu'ayb exemplified.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should recognize that resistance to truth often comes from those with vested interests in corruption and injustice, and should not be deterred by worldly threats or social pressure when standing for righteousness. The true loss belongs to those who reject divine guidance, not those who follow the prophets' message.
Related Ayahs
۞ وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰٓ أَنْ أَلْقِ عَصَاكَ ۖ فَإِذَا هِىَ تَلْقَفُ مَا يَأْفِكُونَ
And We inspired to Moses, "Throw your staff," and at once it devoured what they were falsifying.
أَهَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ ٱلَّذِينَ أَقْسَمْتُمْ لَا يَنَالُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِرَحْمَةٍ ۚ ٱدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْجَنَّةَ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْكُمْ وَلَآ أَنتُمْ تَحْزَنُونَ
[Allāh will say], "Are these the ones whom you [inhabitants of Hell] swore that Allāh would never offer them mercy? Enter Paradise, [O people of the Elevations]. No fear will there be concerning you, nor will you grieve."
ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ دِينَهُمْ لَهْوًا وَلَعِبًا وَغَرَّتْهُمُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۚ فَٱلْيَوْمَ نَنسَىٰهُمْ كَمَا نَسُوا۟ لِقَآءَ يَوْمِهِمْ هَـٰذَا وَمَا كَانُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا يَجْحَدُونَ
Who took their religion as distraction and amusement and whom the worldly life deluded." So today We will forget them just as they forgot the meeting of this Day of theirs and for having rejected Our verses.
وَقَالُوا۟ مَهْمَا تَأْتِنَا بِهِۦ مِنْ ءَايَةٍ لِّتَسْحَرَنَا بِهَا فَمَا نَحْنُ لَكَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ
And they said, "No matter what sign you bring us with which to bewitch us, we will not be believers in you."